Vehicle drive device and method of controlling vehicle drive device

A vehicle drive device comprising:

• a speed change mechanism that changes a speed of power from an engine and that transmits the power to a drive wheel;
• an oil pressure pump that is driven by the engine;
• an accumulator that accumulates oil pressure;
• and
• a control portion that is allowed to execute a control mode that controls a plurality of hydraulic elements to cause a vehicle in a stop state of the engine to start moving, wherein
• the control mode starts controlling part of the plurality of hydraulic elements before the engine is started, by using the oil pressure accumulated in the accumulator, and
• the control mode starts controlling a rest of the plurality of hydraulic elements by using oil pressure that is provided after the engine is started.

A method of controlling a vehicle drive device to cause a vehicle in a stop state of an engine to start moving, the method comprising:

• a step of setting, on the basis of a shift operation and a shift speed to be established, a plurality of hydraulic elements that is controlled when the vehicle starts moving;
• a first oil pressure control step of controlling, out of the plurality of the hydraulic elements that are set to be controlled, part of the plurality of hydraulic elements that is determined to be controlled by using oil pressure accumulated in an accumulator, by supplying the part of the plurality of hydraulic elements with the oil pressure from the accumulator before the engine is started;
• and
• a second oil pressure control step of controlling a rest of the plurality of hydraulic elements by supplying the rest of the plurality of hydraulic elements with oil pressure after the engine is started.